About Me

If you think this:

is healthier than this:

… let’s talk.

I’m Emily. I’m a writer and health nerd, and I believe that eating the right foods and doing the things that keep you healthy doesn’t have to be hard. I believe in food that doesn’t come from factories. Real food. Traditional food. Food the way it used to be, before we had to start adding adjectives to it like “organic” and “natural.”

When big companies took over what we were eating and started making fake food imitations that we were never meant to consume, like vegetable shortening, margarine, and soybean oil, people started getting pretty messed up. We never used to have such widespread issues like heart disease, autoimmune disorders, or metabolic syndrome.

That’s why I think it’s so important to go back to the way things were before we were all so fat, sick, and miserable. Food should come from farms. Dinner should be made in kitchens. Families should be nourished, not merely fed.

… in trusting that your body knows what it should eat. There’s a reason why a baked potato doesn’t taste very good without any butter. And why chocolate sounds good when you’re stressed. Take the blame off of yourself for eating what you want to eat.

… in making ethical food choices. Animals shouldn’t be tortured, abused, and kept in cages, knee-deep in their own waste, just so that I can eat a cheap hamburger. There is a better way. Sustainable farming doesn’t involve the mistreatment of animals, the environment, the workers who produce the food, or the people that eat it.

I don’t believe…

… that most doctors, nutritionists, government agencies, or food manufacturers have any business telling you and I what we should and shouldn’t be eating. Doctors usually receive less than 20 hours of nutrition education in their entire academic career. Nutritionists registered with the American Dietetic Association are sponsored by Kraft foods, Coca-Cola, and Mars Candy. Government agencies like to protect the billion-dollar food industries that give them money. We can do better by ourselves than to listen to these folks about food.

… in blaming bad health on the nutrients we need to live. Calories aren’t bad for you. Neither are carbs. Or fat. There’s a bigger picture to look at when bodies aren’t functioning as they should. Food is not the enemy.

… in dietary dogma. Food is not my religion. It doesn’t give me magical powers of becoming impervious to cancer. I don’t believe everything anyone says about what I should eat, and I don’t think you should, either. I worship no health diet gurus. I bow to no specific set of nutrients. I appreciate food for what it is — a source of nourishment and pleasure. And I just do the best I can to eat and live healthfully, without going completely crazy over it.

… in following all the rules. Food should be fun. I refuse to stress out over eating a perfect diet, and I’m not above eating cookies and ice cream for breakfast.

Are You a Believer?

I’d love to get to know you better. Come say “hi” on Facebook. Be one of my tweeps. Join the conversation in the blog comments. And spread the word by sharing what you learn here about real nutrition and a healthier way of life. We’re a growing community and we’d love to have you on board.

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Thank you for reading. I hope you’ll stick around so we can learn from each other. Have faith in real food!

Emily Benfit

P.S. Got questions?

If you have a question about real food, nutrition, or natural health that you think I might be able to help you with, you are welcome to email me at:

questions@butterbeliever.com

and I will happily answer your questions in the order that they are received, in my periodic Q&A series. Please note that by emailing me your question, you are giving me permission to share it with our readers. If you would like to remain anonymous, let me know and I will gladly honor the request, otherwise first names and last initials will be used.

For customer service inquiries, please reply to the receipt of your item so that I can help you.

Advertisers: I am happy to partner with small businesses that offer products or services that align with topics I write about, and that I myself would personally use and recommend. I am extremely picky in who I choose to associate my brand and my message with. I also cannot afford to work for free, so please, no requests for reviews or other advertising in exchange for coupons or products (those don’t pay the bills). If you think your business would be a good fit as a Butter Believer sponsor, please contact me, and I will be in touch with you soon.